The present invention relates to facility management systems, such as those which control the environment within a building, and more particularly to systems by which building occupants can register complaints regarding operation of such systems.
Modern office buildings provide a sealed interior environment in that the windows can not be opened to allow outside air into the interior space. As a consequence, the air quality within the building is controlled solely by the heating, ventilation and air conditioning (HVAC) system. Unlike residential HVAC systems, the controls in commercial building are not directly accessible by the occupants, but rather only by facility management personnel.
As a consequence, if an occupant is uncomfortable, i.e. too cold, too hot or the air is stale, the individual must contact the building management in order to have the environmental control changed. In many office buildings a complaint by an individual occupant has to be relayed through several individuals before reaching a building engineer who has the authority and capability to adjust the HVAC system. Thus, it may take some period of time for the message to reach the building engineer and there is a potential for miscommunication.
Furthermore in a very large building the central contact person in the building management can receive complaints on a continuous basis at certain times, such as when there is a sudden change in outdoor air temperature. At those times the contact person may be fully occupied with answering telephone complaint calls and unable to perform other duties.